Normal Town Council Approves Updates to Town Personnel Code

NORMAL, Ill. – The Normal Town Council approves updates to the town personnel code during the second council meeting of the month on October 16. 

The council was asked to approve a comprehensive update to the personnel code. The chapter applies to classified employees, those that are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement. The council was asked to support changes to living requirements, additional holidays and parental leave. The council supported these significant changes. 

Currently, all employees are required to live either in McClean County or in a 20 mile radius from the College Avenue and Main Street intersection. The council was asked to support a modification that changes the 20 mile radius to a 60 mile radius instead. City manager Pamela Reece says that this will significantly expand their ability to recruit staff. 

Council member Chemberly Harris said, “It’s always hard for communities and government, especially municipalities, to get good employees and to retain them oftentimes, because of dollars, money, vacation time and the things corporate America allows versus the public sector.”

The council was also asked to support putting a maximum on the cost of living adjustment of five percent.

Normal currently recognizes nine paid holidays for its staff, the town is one of the only public sector entities to not recognize Veterans Day. The town council supports the addition of Veterans Day and Juneteenth. 

The council supported authorizing speeding up vacation accrual to allow employees to earn additional weeks of vacation at more standardized years of service.

The council supported authorizing the code amendment that would allow the city manager to by directive create a parental leave policy. 

The next town council meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on November 6.